One of Iowa's largest catalpa trees could become a sculpture
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Cemetery historian Mike Rowley wants to turn the massive trunk of this tree into art. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
Des Moines says one of Iowa’s largest catalpa trees at Woodland Cemetery must be removed, but efforts are underway to save its seeds — and possibly turn its trunk into a sculpture.
Why it matters: The 79-foot giant is a defining feature of the historic cemetery, so its loss is more than a routine tree removal.
Driving the news: After assessing the damage, city staff determined that there is no way to save the tree, which has a large crack down much of its trunk, urban forestry project manager Dan Just tells Axios.
The intrigue: Just hopes to preserve the tree’s genetics by saving as many of its final seed pods as possible before removal, an effort prompted by an Axios reader’s inquiry about whether people could collect them.
- Whatever can be harvested will be made available for pickup outside the city’s forestry building.
Yes, but: There’s a chance some pods may still be immature and their seeds not yet viable, Just said.
Friction point: The city does not want citizens to collect the pods themselves because of safety hazards.
Meanwhile, volunteer cemetery historian Mike Rowley is leading an inquiry into whether the damaged trunk could be transformed into what he hopes will become Iowa’s tallest or largest tree sculpture.
- Rowley said the idea could turn the loss into an opportunity to honor local history and make the historic cemetery even more distinctive, although it would require significant volunteer help and community support.
State of play: DSM is open to a community-led sculpture if the city bears no installation or maintenance costs, approves the design and can remove it once it deteriorates.
- As of Thursday, the tree was still expected to come down in mid-September, Just said.
Worthy of your time: Des Moines opened nominations this week for its new Heritage Trees program, which will recognize standout trees citywide in five categories.
- Selected trees will be added to a public “Forest of Fame” database highlighting living landmarks, city giants, rare species and other notable trees.
What we’re watching: Whether the catalpa gets another chapter — as a cemetery sculpture, a new generation of trees, or both.